Tuesday, 16 April 2013

This morning saw early morning sunshine and flower colour for GBBD – it’s been a while! With a good planting of crocus now opening, a warm welcome back awaits newly emerged bees too. Today’s 1st 2013 Bumble bee was getting a tad messy as it dived in to feed on the Crocus pollen. Seeing it feed in my garden makes me even more aware of how much we as gardeners can help with their declining numbers.

Welcome back to blog visitors too! It seems forever since my last posting and even longer since I’ve been blogging at my usual late evening time slot. Just as with catching up on overdue jobs in the garden now that snow and cold has gone (although heavy rain now expected) I’ve a bit of catching up with Blogging too. I’ll not chat on this time, I just wanted to say hello to everyone and spread some early morning sunshine…

Joining the Narcissi and Crocus in flower on the 15th April 2013, was a newly planted Aubretia, The Christmas rose Hellebore, the Snowdrop’s cousin – a Snowflake with its wonderful yellow spots, a pink heather (planted for bees but yet to see feeding here) and Orientalis Hellebores in different stages of flower (some already going to seed).

In the shady spot behind the garden gate the Orientalis Hellebore’s are behind in flower from the others with lots just opening and many still in bud. I’m delighted with the good sized planting here and this staggers the food supply for bees and other insects too. Today, I noticed this area had Cuckoo flowers with buds and the first flowers opening from Brunnera Jack Frost. Soon the ferns will be unfurling here too. The 2013 gardening year is getting into gear!

To see what’s flowering in other parts of the world today, pop over to Carol at May Dreams Gardens and browse the links in her post. Carol hosts Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day every 15th of the month if you’d like to join in. I don’t take part every month but on seeing the early morning sunshine this morning - I just had to get out with my camera! My last image comes back to early morning sunshine on heather and a drumstick primula that has self seeded in the mossy rock around my small pond.

Enjoy your garden, its newly emerging flowers, insects, foliage and wildlife… oh yes… and a warm welcome back to Hedgehogs! Yay… their winter hibernation is over and they are out garden visiting again. More on that next time ;-)

Hello again everyone, thanks for all your comments – here’s hoping you have seen some Spring sunshine, blooms and bees with you too :-D

Sue, yes it’s always interesting to see the differences. Some of my Hellebores (the ones getting more sunshine and more protection from the cold) have been flowering a little longer. I like having staggered flowering in my own garden and seeing it around other blogs like yours too :-)

John, absolutely - but at the same time my daffodils and crocus are catching up my Alliums can’t have heard of things being late and have carried on as usual. Some interesting flowering combos in gardens can be expected this Spring.

Lisa, it is nice to feel Spring has sprung isn’t it and the bees are just the icing on the cake :=D Happy GBBD to you too – I’ve been missing your blog too :-)

L, great to hear you are seeing some colour too. It’s been a horrid wild, windy and wet morning here with the wind staying all day – hope your side of the country saw a nicer day and some warm sunshine to bring out more of your flowers :-)

Angie, based on our locations I’m not surprised at all that our garden stages are so similar. I bet you enjoyed your bee sighting as much as I did. Didn’t spot ladybirds in the garden (no pun intended) but saw one on Sunday in flight at a garden centre – lots to feast on there ;-)

Janet, thank-you! It wasn’t quite as warm as it looked but a very welcome sight and light to the garden which had me reaching for my camera and wanting to share it – pity it was just after midnight when I posted this and it went to the 16th – I was on time for GBBD really :-)

David, nice to have you visit again – after an absence in posting I didn’t know if anyone would catch this :-)

flowerlady, Thank-you! I had fun with my camera again – it’s been a while since I’ve been outside with it :-)

Anna, It’s nice to be back! I had quite a few glorious photos of fuzzy plump bee crocus bathing to pick from hence the montage. Great to hear you’ve seen them too but butterfly sightings also – going green now ;-) Enjoy many more sightings :-D

Lovely photos, and of course lovely to see some colour at long last :)

First Bee, huh? About a week or two after our first here; have you seen any Hoverflies, flutters or Ladybirds yet? Been on the lookout for Butterflies - saw a Peacock and Small Tort a few days ago but nothing since.

Looking forward to more photos as the season progresses, and let's hope that rain doesn't arrive!

Paula, Thanks, and a warm welcome to you too! I can see that you have pond wildlife – I’ll be over to read about that very soon as I’m currently building one (when the weather gets better). Enjoy the wildlife with you :-)

Liz, thanks, you’ve some lovely foliage shots on your blog just now – I keep meaning to join in with that but there are so many distractions with this gardenwatching lark ;-) Yes, our seasons are always behind you from wildlife to flowers to nesting - on average I'd say 2-3 weeks. I’ve seen a couple more bees, not noticed any hoverflies or ladybirds in my garden (but ladybird on garden centre visit) but delighted to report on 3 small, small tortoiseshells together last Friday – ran for camera but too late. I think that’s what makes getting photos and video of wildlife and birds fun – it’s not always easy to get isn’t it?

OSPREY WEBCAM Loch of Lowes

GARDEN VISITS, WALK WITH ME...

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I’ve noticed Sparrowhawks appear in the garden during wind and rain. To see my more regular visitors they are hiding behind the handsome chap above – just click on his photo :-)

BLUE TIT NESTBOX DIARY 2010

Six eggs, two attentive parents, hundreds of caterpillars, insects & live mealworms. Result… six chicks successfully fledge! Click on photo link above to follow their story through chat, photos & video.

WHERE IN THE WORLD AM I?

My small garden is in Perthshire, Scotland. I don’t have salmon in my pond, red deer in my borders, ospreys nesting in my acers or red squirrels at my peanut feeders! Nor do I have the world’s highest hedge, paths exciting enough for the serious cyclist and enough of a lawn for golf! However, Perthshire does plus many beautiful gardens too… follow the photo link above to see :-)